有读者问： 有这样一句话：
(1)There are accessible to you, in libraries, any number of books and treatises about different kinds of woods, about different kinds of tools, and about the industry of woodwork.
句中的any number of是什么意思？ any如理解为“任何”似乎不大讲得通。
不定代词any在肯定句中并不总是意谓“任何”，或者说不仅仅意谓“任何”。当any用来表示数量时，它往往有偏高（appreciative)或偏低(depreciative)的含义。在上述例（1）中的any即有偏高的含义，换言之，any number of相当于many或a large number of。再如：
(2)There are any number of reasons for eating good food.
(3)Don't ask George what his excuse is. He can invent any number.
除常与number连用外，any还可以与其他表示数量的名词连用，如：
(4)She has got any amount of explanations for you.
(5)There are any quantity of iron crosses on the Western Alps.
(6)During that memorable trip over the Atlantic, the highest speed maintained for any length of time was 26.4 knots.
这种表偏高数量的any亦可与不表数量的名词连用，如：
(7)He will need any help he can get.
(any=as much as possible，甚至相当于all)
(8)Every man of any capacity holds within himself two men, the wise and the foolish.
(9)If the broker saw me, he'd ask any price for them!
表数量的不定代词any亦可有“偏低”的含义，相当于the smallest or least possible amount or degree of，如：
(10)There isn't any hope of finding the lost child.
(11)It isn't any use looking for her.
(12)Have you any idea of what they are talking about?
